KEVIN RUDD was to formally tell the US President, George Bush, yesterday that Australia would withdraw its combat troops from Iraq and compensate by increasing financial and humanitarian help and by training Iraqi security forces outside the country.

Speaking before their White House meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 1am today Sydney time, Mr Rudd said he envisaged the troop withdrawal would not harm the US-Australian alliance because Labor's position had been made clear before the election.

"The challenge for the future is how do we partner with America and other friends and allies in providing other forms of assistance to the Government of Iraq," he said. "I'm confident of our policy setting and I'm confident we'll do so in close co-ordination, consultation and harmony with … the United States."

The meeting came one day after Mr Bush gave a speech in Ohio in which he warned that retreating now from Iraq "would carry enormous strategic costs for the United States".

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Bush & Cheney & 100 Years McSame ought to cut to the chase and quit talking about US strategy in Iraq. They ought to talk about Usrael strategy in Iraq.

Finally, the masses are slowly figuring out that the Likud war party runs our country.

_________________"If the people allow private banks to control their currency the banks and corporations will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." - Thomas Jefferson